MACC and Esscom to flush them out
Published on: Saturday, February 28, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: Anti-Corruption officers have joined forces with the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) to flush out the remaining number of Pakistanis staying in the State with visas obtained fraudulently through a syndicate involving immigration officers.Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Prosecuting Officer Awang Samsul Baharam Bungso said the agency, which embarked on an investigation following a public complaint early this year, has in its possession a list of the wanted Pakistanis.He did not disclose any figure but said MACC was expecting to make more arrests with the help of Esscom throughout the State.
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Regarding the eight immigration officers who were detained in connection with the said syndicate, Awang Samsul investigations were still on-going.On Friday, three more Pakistanis were hauled before the court and charged with using these documents to stay on in Sabah despite knowing the particulars on their marital status are false.Iqbal Hussain Gul Wazir, 37, Saleem Nawab, 32, and Ibrar Khan Ibrahim Khan pleaded guilty before Sessions Court Judge Dato Ishak Bakri when the charge was read to them, respectively.For Ibrar, the charge against him was interpreted in the Pashtun language by his relative as he did not understand Bahasa Malaysia.
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All of them were sentenced to three months' jail and fined RM10,000 or a month behind bars each.Ishak ordered them referred to the Immigration Department upon completing their jail sentence.
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The three Pakistanis had used Multiple Entry Visas issued by the Lahad Datu Immigration Department when they knew the details on the documents were fake.On Iqbal's visa, the false information was in regard to his wife, one Azfarain Azman and he was found using the document at 10.30pm Feb. 7 this year at the MACC premises in the Federal Administration Complex here.On Saleem's visa, it was falsely stated that his wife's name was Norliha Ali Hassan and he was found using the document at 10pm on Feb. 11 this year at Kg Likas, here.Meanwhile, on Ibrar's Multiple Entry Visa it was falsely stated that his wife's name was Laidah Suka and he had used the document at 2pm on Feb 11 this year at the Menumbok Immigration Control Post.All three were not married to the women mentioned in their visas.The offence under Section 471 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 465 of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to two years or fine, or both, on conviction.During mitigation, Iqbal told the court that he has a wife and seven children in Pakistan and he came in the State to work as he is the sole breadwinner.Saleem asked for his jail sentence to be minimal saying he needed to look after his three children and wife in his hometown. Ibrar through his counsel Dato Rakhbir Singh applied for a lenient sentence on the grounds that he was first and young offender.Rakhbir said the Multiple Entry Visa was valid as it was issued by the Lahad Datu Immigration Department.However, Awang Samsul asked for both a fine and jail sentence to be imposed on the three Pakistanis as there was no special circumstances for them to get a minimum sentence.He informed the court that the three Pakistanis were brought from the Temporary Detention Centre in Papar.According to Awang Samsul, Friday was their last day under remand but that he did not receive any information regarding the immigration offence they committed.On Thursday, the first four Pakistanis were charged with similar offences and two who pleaded guilty were jailed three months and fined RM10,000 in default another month in prison.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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